


cornerstone

by zeloflake



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-12
Updated: 2017-11-12
Packaged: 2019-02-01 08:50:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,239
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12701490
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zeloflake/pseuds/zeloflake
Summary: the first time they met was messy.the second was a coincidence.the third, not a coincidence anymore.the fourth sealed the deal.





	cornerstone

**Author's Note:**

> 2k xiuhan high school au inspired by arctic monkeys' "Cornerstone"~ this is ancient but I hope you enjoy it, my fellow sufferers over xiuhan in 2017

 

The first time they met was messy. Luhan was wondering how he found himself on the battleship. It was Jongin's birthday party, and Kyungsoo was throwing him a party on the biggest club on town, The Battleship. Which, coincidentally, took place on an actual ship, anchored in the bay. He walked around, nodding to a few people he knew, feeling out of place and pretty tipsy. He was very happy Jongin was becoming older, learning how to hold his liquor and stuff (even though he still left his dirty socks on the floor of their living room), but he was still gloomy about his year-long crush openly announcing she was no longer single, by kissing her brand-new boyfriend in the middle of the school hallway. At least he would leave high school next year. Being a senior was nice, sure, just not when he had a crush on a girl two years younger he could never find the courage to go talk to. Sohee was small and cute, exactly Luhan's type, and made half of the boys on school swoon. And now, she was unavailable.

He was passing the 'warning' light when he brushed someone's arm. "Oh, I'm sorry." He started, before looking at the person's face and forgetting completely what he was about to say. It was Sohee... With short orange hair and boy's clothes.

"It's fine." The stranger said, smiling at him. He was so close, Luhan could feel his breath. Mint drops. "This place is crowded. I had no idea Jongin knew this many people. Where do you know him from?"

"We're brothers, kind of." Luhan was studying his senior year in Korea, and staying in Jongin's house. He was first placed there because of the exchange firm, but they soon became close and started hanging out often. After that, Luhan became Jongin's personal love consultant, helping him out with gift ideas and comforting him after he got into fights with Kyungsoo. They were dating for three years now, Jongin had told Luhan, and he had never been more in love. Even though they went to different schools (Jongin and Luhan went to a public school, and Kyungsoo went to a private all-boys school), they managed to see each other every day, even if just for a few minutes. For their three year anniversary, Jongin gave Kyungsoo a photo album, full of pictures of them together, and blank spaces for new possibilities. Kyungsoo gave him a necklace Jongin now wore all the time, a silver pendant of an hourglass, to remind him of the moments they lived, and all the time they still had together. They made Luhan believe in true love.

"Oh, so you're Jongin's chinese brother? Nice to meet you. I go to school with Kyungsoo, I've heard about you." The stranger had a really nice smile. Luhan wondered, for a moment, if he could maybe-

"Can I call you Sohee? You remind me of this girl I know. Very pretty, big cheeks like you-"

His face dropped. "No, you can't. Sorry to take up your time. Goodbye." He left, along with Luhan's hopes. God, he was broken hearted. The last thing he saw was the stranger walking away, before blacking out.

 

***

 

The second time they met was a coincidence. They were at yet another club; 'The Rusty Hook', it was called. He was celebrating the end of exam week with Jongin, Kyungsoo and Yixing, his chinese friend who was visiting. They had studied together their whole lives, and knew each other by heart. They often skyped, updating each other on their lives. Luhan didn't remember much from the night of Jongin's birthday, other than being miserable and meeting what he would begin to refer as 'Sohee's ghost male version'. The person completely disappeared after he woke up, and he thought he must have imagined everything, due to more alcohol than considered acceptable and being very unhappy. Tonight, he was less sullen, though Yixing still noticed something off.

"Why do you look like you want to strangle a hamster?" he asked, while they were ordering their drinks. "It's been a month since you told me that girl got a boyfriend. Didn't think you'd get so hung up on that."

"That" Luhan pointed at him accusingly. "is unfair. Let the heartbroken be. I'll get over her when I do, okay? Until then, I can drown my sorrows and you get to take my back home. You should feel honored."

"Okay, somebody's in a terrible mood tonight. I'll leave you alone. Just remember, don't do anything I wouldn't do." He walked away with a wink. The bastard went to the dance floor, joining an excited Jongin and a reluctant Kyungsoo. Luhan was really glad they hit it off so easily; when parts of different worlds connect, they don't always fit. And it's much easier when they do.

He went upstairs, scanning the room full of people chatting, drinking and dancing. The place was filled with energy, bursting with life. Dozens of different lives coming together on one crowded space. He spotted a familiar figure on the corner, sitting on a wicker chair, and wandered closer for a better look. It turned out to be the stranger from Jongin's party, though the orange mob of hair was red as fire, and he could make out his features better now that he was considerably less intoxicated. Fiery eyes, big cheeks, thin frame on tight red pants. A face so familiar, even if now it was more masculine.

He couldn't resist. He bent forward, kissing the boy softly, tentatively.

 

The boy kissed him back.

 

The world seemed to move slower on Luhan's head, as if it was stopping to savor the moment. Because he sure was. When the kiss ended, earlier than he wanted to, the boy spoke.

"That was a hell of an introduction." He smiled, looking up and placing his hands on Luhan's waist."And you still haven't asked for my name."

"I don't know what you're called" He the boy's hair, making it messy. "But I know what I would like to call you. Please? Can I call you her name?" Luhan himself didn't know why he had such an obsession with the stranger and wanting to name him after Sohee, but it was there. He couldn't deny it, so why not just roll with it. No harm in asking, he thought, especially since he was being extra-polite.

The boy grimaced. "No, you can't." His hands fell from Luhan's back. "You've asked me before, and I've answered you already. You know it's not polite to call a person by someone else's name, right?"

"Yes, but-" He didn't know how to continue. After all, he didn't know the reason behind his actions either. He was being fueled by instinct.

"It seems like you have a lot of thinking to do, and I don't want to get in the way." He got up from the chair and walked away. For the second time, Luhan was left alone, wondering how on earth would he mend his heart. He liked the boy, he knew, but was that enough?

 

***

 

The third time they met was not a coincidence anymore. Luhan begged Kyungsoo for information, giving him his best deer eyes impersonation. He wanted to make things right, and get to know him better. Kyungsoo was intrigued by his sudden interest on the boy, asking him questions with a teasing smile.

"So you like Minseok." So that was his name. _Minseok_. Luhan played it over and over again inside his head, as if it would give him all the answers he was looking for.

"Well, I didn't know that was his name, but yes." He admitted, looking at the floor. If he wanted things to work out, he would need all the help he could get. "I do."

"I won't even ask about that." Kyungsoo's eyes grew wide, as they usually did for everything. Surprise, joy, fear, excitement: his eyes took half of his face. Adorable like their poodles, as Jongin liked to sigh around the house. "The thing is I'm really good friends with him, and I want to make sure you're not just fooling around. Because if so, I'd have to break your face, pretty deer eyes and all."

Luhan shuddered. Kyungsoo could be pretty scary when he wanted to."I'm serious about this. Please help me."

Kyungsoo studied his face. "I've heard from the man himself he's going to the Parrot's Beak concert, alone. And he likes to arrive early. Good luck, pretty boy."

 

And so to the concert he went. It was on a show house downtown, and since he was about an hour early, the place wasn't particularly crowded. He spotted Minseok near the smoke alarm, trying to open it one-handedly.

"What are we doing here?" Luhan asked as he came closer. When Minseok turned, he could see the boy had a broken arm, with a cast supporting it and all. He had pink hair and a cautious expression, not seeming sure if he could trust Luhan.

"The drummer is a friend of mine, and he asked me to make it rain on the chorus of their last song. Trying to see if I can pull it off." He shifted his feet, looking around. Luhan couldn't blame him for being so uncomfortable, after their last meeting, but he was hoping to put it behind them after tonight."What about you? Didn't think you'd like this kind of music. You give a catchy-pop vibe."

"Well, I like to experiment. New music is never a bad thing." Or new people, he realized.

 

They talked until the show started, with music on a deafening high volume. The house was full, and he was squeezed against Minseok. He tried to protect the boy from the crowd, since he was smaller than him and had a cast. The time they spent talking served to make Luhan like the boy even more. And he was positive he had made a good impression, since he didn't complain when Luhan scooted closer, putting his arm on Minseok's waist. They soon became a mess, though, jumping and sweating and screaming with the crowd. Minseok knew the lyrics to almost every song, and had a very pretty voice, when it was listenable. Luhan just went with the flow, making himself a mental note to definitely buy the band's album after he got home.

When the show was over, Minseok's voice was hoarse, and when Luhan asked jokingly "So you said I could call you Sohee?", he simply wrote ' _NO_ ' on a notebook he had inside his backpack, with a smile on his face still.

 

On the way home, Luhan offered Minseok a ride, which he accepted. The whole way, he drove slowly, stopping at yellow signs and going the longest way possible. He liked to think it wasn't intentional, he simply forgot the shortcuts he usually took, but his heart said otherwise. And so did the silent boy's hand on his thigh.

 

***

 

The fourth time they met sealed the deal. Minseok was standing at a cornerstone, having just walked out of the bakery and double-checking the receipt. He looked like the type of person who would do that, Luhan thought. He took in the sight of the young boy (he said he was short, but Luhan thought he had just the perfect height to fit under the crook of his arm), wearing a simple tee, skinny jeans and a beanie over his brown hair. How could everything he ever wanted have come together so perfectly, just where he could reach? He felt lucky. He walked over and hugged him from behind.

"Baby, guess what." He could smell the older boy's shampoo. Coconut.

"You should really stop doing things like this before I wushu you in the face?" He said on a high pitched voice."You could have been a thief! And Zitao is teaching me some moves, eventually I'll be able to kick you square on the nose."

"Nope. I was talking to my Kyungsoo and he told me Sohee is your sister. That's why you look so alike. Why didn't you tell me before?" Minseok turned around, looking at Luhan in the eyes. He was still holding his bakery bag. Luhan wondered what his favorite pastry was- definitely something he would have to find out.

"Does it change anything?" He started, with a unsure expression. "You were so keen on calling me her name, I was sure you would give up on me. I didn't want you to like me just because of my face. Because I look like her."

"Of course not." He lifted his hand to Minseok's face, gently stroking his jawline. "That may have been why I first noticed you, drunk on that bar. But it is so much more now. I think we fit, you know? We should be an item. It just feels right."

"Are you asking me to be your boyfriend?" His smile grew, until it became so bright it could just about tear his face in half. Luhan wanted to be responsible for many, many more of those.

"If you want to, I'd be thrilled."

Minseok looked up at him. That crooked smile would be the end of him, he knew. And he couldn't care less.

"You know, I'm really not supposed to" He came closer, whispering on Luhan's ear. "But yes. You can call me anything you want."


End file.
